


Dr.Delle and the Living Doll

by PallasDiana



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Police, F/M, Mystery, Organized Crime, Paranormal, Vigilantism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-31 08:39:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17846093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PallasDiana/pseuds/PallasDiana
Summary: Kristoff Bjorgman is one of the Arendelle Police Department's best detectives, so it wasn't surprising when he was assigned to investigate the most notorious crime family in the city. However, things get complicated when a vigilante starts to hunt down members of the same gang. And things are complicated further by Doctor Anna Delle, a plucky, young woman still recovering from past trauma. To protect the city, Kristoff has to put trust in his new allies, even if he doesn't want to.





	1. Chapter One

A squad car screeched to a stop in front of the Arendelle Museum of Natural History. The beautiful white building had long, flowing banners hanging in front of some of the windows. Above the entrance was a drooping banner announcing the museum's new exhibit; The Hidden Culture of Living Rock. For the next month, the museum would be displaying artifacts of a newly discovered civilization that resided in an area not too far from the city.

A large blonde man stepped out of the car and walked toward the entrance. A short but rather stout woman blocked his access when he was about to enter the building. " I'm sorry sir," she said. "But the museum is closed." The man flashed his badge at the woman's face. It was the thing that would clarify him as a cop as his button-down shirt and slacks weren't a part of police protocol. "Detective Kristoff Bjorgman, ma'am," he stated in the calmest voice he could muster. "The curator called me here."

The woman moved away from the entrance and let him by, although Kristoff couldn't tell if it was from respect for authority or fear of his large size. Probably the latter, he thought. Since junior high, Kristoff had always been used to being perceived as intimidating because of his height and extra muscle.

It did take long for him to find the museum curator. He wore a sweater with so much orange, green and yellow that it hurt his eyes and, however it was possible, he was even taller and more muscular than Kristoff. "Ah, Detective Bjorgman," he chimed in a way that seemed a little too happy. "I'm so glad you could make it," shaking Kristoff's hand with enough strength that would crush it if he was normal sized.

That showed something was wrong.

"Yes, Oaken," Kristoff replied, releasing himself from the curator's grip. "You called the station saying you were informed of an impending robbery, right?" Normally, Kristoff was not really a "by-the-book" kind of cop but the chief was getting so tired of his "lone ranger bull-crap" that she threatened to suspend him from the force. As much as this job was a pain in the ass, Kristoff wouldn't want it any other way.

Oaken nodded violently. "Yah, this exhibit has a large amount of historical value. Such a thing could lead to the museum closing forever." He wasn't exaggerating about that. Kristoff knew that the museum had been losing visitors for the last year and the recently discovered artifacts of this exhibit were going to get it back on its feet.

Before anything else could be said, screaming began to fill the halls. Instincts taking over, Kristoff rushed to the source while Oaken attempted to follow.

Kristoff reached the end of the hall, his expression to what he saw was a mixture of rage and terror. Two men, both tall, muscular and dark-haired, stood several feet away from him. One with sideburns grabbed anything he could lift; ancient weapons, writings, masks and so on, and stuffed them into a sack. The other, who was sporting a mustache, had his hand covering a young woman's mouth and pinned her against his chest. By her muffled screams and kicking, Kristoff deduced she was a hostage.

Kristoff pulled out his gun but the other man was just as fast with his draw. "Not so fast!" he said his voice rough and raspy. "One wrong move," turning his gun to the poor woman's head. "And she gets a slug in the skull." Kristoff's face twisted with anger, he didn't always follow procedure but that didn't make him a bad cop. And like any decent officer, he wouldn't stand having any casualties on his shift.

As Kristoff began to lower his gun to the floor, the hostage released an arm from her captive's grasp and thrusted her elbow into his sternum. The man dropped his gun as he held his lower chest in pain. Seeming satisfied with her work, the woman stood over her former captor with a smug, toothy smile on her face while neglecting the second robber. He could have easily overpowered, maybe even kill her but luckily, Kristoff had the reflexes of a wild wolf. He tackled the robber and pinned him to the floor. Kristoff then cuffed the perp to himself, making sure the sneak wouldn't try to get away.

"Nice work," he heard someone say. He turned to the woman that by now the crook probably wished they didn't hold at gunpoint. "But I could've taken care of it," she stated in a rather proud manner. They both heard a grunt and turned to the mustached man on the ground. He was crawling toward his discarded weapon. Apparently still irritated by being a hostage, the woman stomped on the man's hand with her small yet thick and heavy boots.

Sure, lady, Kristoff thought but didn't say aloud. He'd admit that she did have quite the hidden muscle as well as spunk. However, if he hadn't been in the room at the time she could have gotten herself killed. This woman needed to keep her pride in check and Kristoff knew what that was like.

Oaken had finally caught up to Kristoff as the other robber was handcuffed. "Ah," he chimed in his normally happy voice. "Detective Bjorgman, I see you have met Dr. Delle, the archaeologist responsible for this exhibit."

Kristoff gave the woman a second glance and honestly wasn't too surprised by her occupation. Her strawberry blonde locks were braided into a single bun, convenient for keeping her hair out of her work. The white button-down shirt she wore was covered in dust and mud stains and so was her khaki shorts. Give her a whip and she could be Indiana Jones.

She held out her hand, "You may call me Anna," she said, expecting a handshake. Kristoff's expression remained neutral and told her, "Sorry, but there's no time formalities. I still have work to do." He then lifted the second perp off the ground and cuffed him. Anna lowered her hand and gave a rather disappointed look. "Oh," she said. "Well, I hope to see you again Detective," and she waved him goodbye as he left the building.

However, Kristoff greatly hoped for the opposite. He was never really "people person" to begin with, but right now Kristoff wanted as little interaction with humans as possible. A voice snapped him out of his trance, "How positively darling." The words that would normally be sweet sounded vile and sour from the harsh tone. Kristoff was just outside his squad car, with half of the culprits in the backseat. He gazed at the perp with a boot print imprinted on his hand. "Excuse me?" Kristoff questioned, more than a little irritated. The man smiled, "You and the little red-headed Tomb Raider. I can tell you two would have a lot of fun together." He laughed hard and loud with his accomplice chuckling in the car.

Kristoff put an end to the whole ordeal by "slightly" shoving the man into the backseat and locking the doors. He couldn't believe such nonsense. Anna and Kristoff had only met less than ten minutes ago and he was simply just doing his job. There was nothing between them.

He started the car and turned to his "passengers" with a rather cocky smile, "Hope you've enjoyed your morning," he said with fake happy tone. "Cause after this, the next few days are going to be a full-on nightmare."

Kristoff was outside the police station's interrogation room with his latest catches inside being questioned. It turned out those two weren't standard, run-of-the-mill crooks. According to police sources, their names were Erik and Francis Weston and they were top two henchmen of the crime lord called The Duke. The police had been trying to catch that guy for years. Unfortunately, those two were tough eggs to crack. No cop in the precinct, not even the best ones, could get a word out of them. After twenty-five minutes, the two had broken their thirteenth officer, Katrina Wilcox. She approached Kristoff with her teeth clenched and fists balled up. She cursed, "Nothing! I got nothing!" She stomped out the room and wished Kristoff good luck. "You'll need it."

Before he could even enter the interrogation room, Kristoff felt a small hand on his shoulder. He turned his head and saw Gerda, the police chief. "Yes, chief?" Kristoff questioned in a way that sounded respectful as well as cautious. When the chief wanted you, it most likely meant something bad. Gerda's expression remained neutral, "Detective, I need to discuss something with you in private." She shifted slightly to Kristoff's left in order to get a proper view of the Westons. They were simply sitting at an empty table, waiting for the next officer to refuse answers to. "I'll have Doctor Chase talk with those two." Gerda finally said after two minutes that felt stretched to hours. "If anybody can anything from those two it would be a psychologist."

As Gerda left for her office, Kristoff slowly followed her. His stomach began to tie itself into knots as they got closer. Kristoff knew it was silly to be afraid of Gerda. She was not much older than his own mother, with all her hair a dark gray, and much skinnier but she still had the power to fire him if she deemed him incompetent or worse. Put him on meter duty till he retired.

They entered Gerda's office, a spacious room with only her desk, computer and two chairs inside. Kristoff took a seat across from Gerda when he finally spoke again. "Chief, did I do something wrong?" His voice lacked his normally confident demeanor. Gerda smiled slightly, " Of course not, Kristoff," she answered. "Over the last few weeks, you have successfully conducted protocol, captured two henchmen of a notorious crime boss and Doctor Winters has also informed me that your sessions are going well. Especially with your personal..." She stopped, trying to find the right word. "Experiences." Kristoff appreciated that from Gerda. As far as he was concerned, his life as Detective Bjorgman and his life as Kristoff should be as far apart as possible.

Kristoff coughed into his fist, "So, what did you want to see me about?" Gerda handed him a thick file folder. It contained financial papers, employment records and pictures of various adult men. They all had fiery red hair, with an exception of one blonde. "You're aware of the Westergaards, correct?" Gerda asked. Kristoff smiled and nodded yes. A single Westergaard could make the Sopranos look like the cast of My Little Pony. "Those bastards are good at covering their tracks. We can't even file them with tax evasion thanks to their stupid club."

"I believe you mean The Palace," Gerda joined in. The Palace was a nightclub downtown, or at least that's what people say it was. The Arendelle Police Department believed that the club was actually a brothel in disguise and was using the nightclub facade as a source of income for legal leverage. "As you know, the Department has been investigating The Palace and the Westergaards for years and found nothing incriminating," Gerda said with Kristoff nodding. He then spoke up, "And what does that have to do with me?" Gerda handed him a photo of The Palace, a beautiful, black building covered in flashing lights. "I need an inside man to get into the Westergaards' ranks. Since the Westergaards have never seen you and with your track record, you seem to be the ideal candidate."

Kristoff sat up and saluted, "On it, Chief." Gerda handed him a packet of papers, "We've constructed a resume to get you a job at the club. An interview is scheduled for 7:45 tomorrow morning." she saluted back. "I wish you luck."

As night began to fall, Kristoff neared his apartment building The Snowy Cloak Towers. The name was somewhat of a misnomer as it only had five floors including the lobby. He parked his pickup truck as close to the entrance as possible and took a moment to stare at the building. Large chunks of white paint were peeling off and a few lights were shorted out. The sign displaying the apartments' name was missing several letters, with only gibberish remaining.

It was falling apart but it was the only place Kristoff could afford. He would never call the place home though, that title was already reserved.

Kristoff grabbed several overflowing shopping bags from the backseat and went inside. As he entered the lobby, he spotted a sign on the elevator.

OUT OF ORDER.

Great, he thought to himself. It was just the perfect way to end an otherwise mediocre day, with him stomping up the stairs.

He should have been out of breath when he finally reached the top floor. However, Kristoff was often told he was a different case when it came to human limits. His irritation was waning so his footsteps became lighter as he walked down the hall to his apartment.

At the very end of the hall, Kristoff saw a figure fidgeting with the door next to his apartment. They were in some bulky sweatshirt and sweatpants with a scarf wrapped around their head, but from the figure's small size, curves and a few strands of light red hair peeking out it was clear that they were a woman. Kristoff left his bags by his door and went to the next door. He then slammed his fist against it three times, nearly scaring the poor woman out of her skin. Kristoff turned the knob and the door opened wide with ease, revealing nothing more than a room filled with cardboard boxes.

"The locks in this place jam sometimes. When they do, they need a little force," he advised.

"It's you again,"

Kristoff turned to see a familiar face he had seen not too long ago. One that had a round shape and was dusted with freckles.

"Ms. Delle?!" he exclaimed, sounding a little more flustered than he would have liked. "You live here?! Why are you wearing a scarf? It's the middle of August." Anna removed her scarf from her head, "Till a couple weeks ago, most my work was down south. Guess I haven't gotten used to the lower temperatures yet." Her face flashed with the look of sudden realization. " Why did help me unlock the door?! For all you knew I could have been a burglar!"

Kristoff simply smiled. "You're not. A burglar wouldn't wear anything that could be easily spotted. Or use the front door." Anna looked down at her magenta sweats and fluorescent green scarf and blushed. She got a slight peek behind the mountain of a man standing before her. " What's in the bags?" Anna asked, genuinely curious. Kristoff grabbed the bags off the floor. He didn't want her to get too close and see want was inside. It was all for his "job" tomorrow.

"Just some groceries," he said and turned to his own apartment. "Wait," he heard. He turned to Anna again. "I just realized I don't know your first name." Kristoff left his face without any sign of emotion.

"It's Kristoff."

"Christopher?"

"Kristoff!" he repeated and walked into his apartment, slamming the door shut. With her as a neighbor, he was going to have a slow, long, hard rest of his life.

By midnight, the residents of Arendelle were all fast asleep. Or at least they should have been.

"Hurry up, you idiots!" a large, hooded man called to two others, who were much smaller, carrying a large heavy box from a warehouse by the docks. When they finally made it to the van, the thugs were completely out of breath. "What's. In this. Stupid thing anyway?"

"Who cares? Westergaard told us to rob the place, we rob the place."

Their argument was interrupted by the sound of paint cans clattering against the pavement. Each of them pulled out a pistol and pointed them in any direction.

"What was that?!" One said, shaking his weapon in fear.

A small white kitten jumped in front of them, meowing and licking its other two took a calming breath and placed their guns back into the bands of their pants. "It's just a cat." The leader said "Now let's hurry up and get this job d-" his words were cut off by the force of being kicked in the face.

The man's heavy body thudded against the pavement. He lifted himself up very slightly, wincing in pain.

"The fu..?!"

Standing before them was a shadowy figure. They were not particularly tall and rather skinny but the way their body was menacing, like a wildcat with its latest catch dangling from its jaws. The man on the ground reached for his gun but was surprised when the figure pinned his hand down and wrapped their long, thin fingers around his throat. They slipped his gun out of his waistband, removed the magazine and smashed it against the pavement until it was nothing but scrap.

Now without a weapon, the thug threw a punch at his assailant's head. Unfortunately for him, their reflexes remained lightning fast. His heartbeat raced as their fingers tightened around his wrist.

Without warning, the figure pulled the man up and pulled his arm back until they heard a loud crack. He fell to the ground and howled in pain.

The others dropped their guns and held their hands up high above their heads. With what they just saw, a gun would be of no use.

The figure walked toward them, out of the shadows. In the light of the dock's lamps, their feminine stature and clothing could now be seen. "A girl?!" screamed the man cradling his dislocated shoulder. "I got the shit beaten out of me by a girl!" The woman immediately responded with a forceful kick in his face and him losing a couple teeth.

As she came closer, the other two began to shake violently. This woman had beaten a full-grown man with her bare hands but that wasn't the only intimidating thing about her. It was her mask. It resembled the face of a porcelain doll; glossy white with rosy cheeks, but it was covered in long jagged cracks that made the angry expression in her eyes all the more terrifying.

Even as this woman stood directly in front of them, they dared not move out of fear. She took a hold of their hoods and gently pulled them back, revealing the faces of boys no older than fifteen.

The woman's eyes softened, if only slightly. She took out an unevenly folded piece of paper and handed it to the two boys. "Give this to your boss," she ordered, her voice sweet and rough at the same time. "Deliver it anonymously. I'd get out if I were you," and disappeared as quickly as she came. Curious, the boys unfolded the note. Their blood curdled as the read the message over and over in their heads.

I'm coming for you.


	2. Chapter Two

Kristoff yawned, part from drowsiness and part from boredom. After yesterday's excitement, the rest of today was completely lined with paperwork, his least favorite part of the job. What it even more irritating was that even Audrey Chase, the unit's resident expert in forensic, criminal and social psychology, couldn't get much out of the Westons. Due to that misfortune, they could no longer keep them in custody and had to let them go with a warning. Not that they would take it.

"Morning, Kristy!" he heard someone call him as he nearly nodded off. With his alertness back, Kristoff peered into the dark eyes of Katrina Wilcox. "Need a pick me up?" she asked, handing him a cup of Earl Grey since he was the only officer who didn't drink coffee. Kristoff yawned and took the cup. "Please don't call me Kristy," he took a small sip, "It makes me sound like a little girl." Katrina laughed hard and loud, "I'm just messing with ya," and lightly punched him in the arm. To a guy as big as Kristoff, it barely felt like someone tapping on his shoulder at an annoying pace.

Katrina tilted her head slightly and made a confused expression. She just realized Kristoff was wearing the standard Police cap that he never really wore in the first place. Kristoff's shaggy, sunshine locks could be seen either. "What's going on here?" she asked and playfully yanked the cap off his head. Katrina was surprised and slightly confused by what she saw. Kristoff's hair was now ebony black like it bathed in tar. His roots were the only part that remained yellow.

"It's for a job," Kristoff stated, already knowing what was on her mind. He took back his cap from Katrina's grasp with something slowly falling from its brim. Katrina picked it up from the floor; it was a photograph with Kristoff looking ridiculously happy with a petite woman with jet black wrapped around his torso. She smacked her forehead and groaned, "You still have pictures of Elizabeth?!" Kristoff snatched the picture back, "No, I just forgot about this one. I'm completely over her." He then tore it to pieces and throw them in his trash can.

"Good. I mean, she dumped you while you were in a hospital bed. The Doll has more of a heart than that bi-"

"Wait, what?"

"Didn't you hear? A Westergaard lackey was at the docks last night. He got his ass handed to him by some lady in a doll costume."

Katrina talked on about the man and his injuries while Kristoff repeated the keywords in his head. Westergaard lackey. Docks. Last night. The mention of dolls seemed a little far-fetched. He would need to further look into this. His assignment was to gather information on the Westergaards and a crazed vigilante would complicate that. "Hey, Katrina," he asked, both stopping her rambling and gaining her attention. "Would you know where a report on this thing would be?" Katrina let out a laugh like the answer was obvious. "Check with Audrey. She has access to all that stuff, kinda part of the job."

"Thanks."

As Kristoff entered the office of Doctor Audrey Chase, he wasn't all that surprised by its current state. It was littered with books, papers and puzzles all across her desk and shelves. The walls were covered with posters of superheroes and movies as well as scientific graphs that overlapped the posters. If one never met Audrey, they would think the room was vandalized by a child.

A head of wild, curly brown hair popped up from behind the desk, "Hi, Kris." Kris smiled slightly, "Hey, Audrey." Audrey came out from behind her desk, revealing her small size compared to that of Kristoff, barely reaching his chest. She was also surprisingly young for someone working for the police, about 19 at least. However, despite her age and size, she was exceptionally intelligent and great at getting information. "So, what do need Kris," Audrey asked, already knowing what he came for.

"Do you have anything on the incident at the docks last night?" Kristoff asked. Audrey barely held back a squeal and begin to search through her papers. Nobody knew how she found anything in her mess of a system but Audrey managed to always find what she was looking for in a matter of moments. "Here it is!" She announced, handed him a small folder. Kristoff flipped through the file with a police sketch caught his attention; a woman in braided pigtails wearing a mask that made her face look like a broken china doll. A very angry broken china doll.

"Is she just fascinating?!" Audrey asked, completely giddy. Kristoff's face became blank, "That's not the first word that comes to mind." Creepy, maybe, he thought to himself. Audrey's unbridled enthusiasm lessened as she took back the file from Kristoff's hands. "This is a grown woman taking the guise of a child's plaything," she began, like a professor at a lecture. "She also dons the face of a broken toy, symbolizing her own damaged psyche."

Kristoff's expression turned to bewilderment, "So, the doll costume is just part of her revenge campaign against the Westergaards?" Audrey shook her head, "Yes and no. There were two teenagers with connections to the Westergaards. They were unharmed and are now under Witness Protection."

He repeated all the new information in his head. This wasn't blind rage. There wouldn't be survivors if it was, much less any without injuries.

"Is part of this for your new assignment?" Audrey asked. Kristoff gave another confused look. "You know," she said. "The undercover one at The Palace."

Kristoff was even more confused. "How did you...?" Then an idea came into his head. "Wait?! Were you eavesdropping?" Audrey smiled slightly and shrugged, "I was by the door at the time. And the door was cracked open." Before he could say anything else, Kristoff's phone rang.

"Shit!"

"What's wrong?" Audrey asked. Kristoff groaned, "I am meeting with my brother and sister."

"For what?"

"Don't know. That's what worries me."

Kristoff had to wear a blindfold while he was in his brother, Flint's, car so his senses of touch and hearing were in high command. More specifically, his ability to feel the jerking of his own body from the car's constant and sudden swerving and hearing the honking horns and shouting of other drivers. "Where are we going?" Kristoff asked, almost certain they were going to crash. "Just relax," said Jade, his older sister, in her sweet, gentle voice, "We're almost there."

"That's not reassuring." Kristoff loved his family and was grateful that they took him in but sometimes they were a little too headstrong and overbearing when it came to his personal life. The car came to a sudden stop with Kristoff almost crashing into his sister's seat. "We're here," Flint announced as Kristoff and Jade rushed to the nearest trash can.

When his stomach finally settled, Kristoff ripped off his blindfold. He groaned when he saw that they were at the Community Center, which had a massive sign displayed at the entrance.

Speed dating: room 204

Kristoff cupped his face and cursed, "Jade. Flint. I hate you both so much right now."

Flint laughed, "Come on, little bro, you need this. You've been more reclusive than usual since Elizabeth hightailed it."

"I'm perfectly fine!" Kristoff said defensively. Jade crossed her arms and made an unconvinced expression, "When you're not at home or work you sit in your apartment all day sulking alone."

"I have Sven's company."

"He's your dog. Doesn't count."

Flint interrupted, "I totally get it though. I mean, she did dump while you were in the hospital. After you got shot. In the stomach. And ass. And..." he stopped when he saw the irritated glares of his sister and brother. "And I'm not being very helpful right now, am I?"

Kristoff groaned again. It was bad enough he was getting this from his mother and psychiatrist. Jade placed her dainty hand on her brother's large shoulder, "Just stay for twenty-five minutes. Then you can leave. If you want." She seemed very hopeful about the last part. "Do I have a choice?" Kristoff asked with a hint of sarcasm. His siblings shook their heads.

Somehow, in ways that he couldn't even imagine, speed dating was even worse than Kristoff originally thought. No matter which table he was at, he was the most well-adjusted person there.

His first date began the conversation with asking if what she heard about men with big feet was true. The last four and a half minutes were nothing but a long, awkward silence.

The next one asked if he ever used his handcuffs for "fun". She instantly became uninterested after he explained that the handcuffs belonged to the police department and couldn't be taken home.

Kristoff couldn't have been happier when the bell after sitting with a woman a little too excited about him carrying a gun all the time.

He gripped the bridge of his nose, Make it end! His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice, "Why, hello again." Kristoff lifted his head and saw Anna Delle in front of him, wearing a flowing green dress and her hair down to her shoulders. Both of them could feel the heat rushing to their faces. "So," Anna began, combing her fingers through her hair, "Th- This is awkward." Kristoff gave a small smile and shrugged, "Can't be worse than the last fifteen minutes of my life." A light, hearty giggle escaped from Anna's lips, "It just seems like wherever we go we run into each other."

Something caught Anna's attention, "And it seems like I'm not the only person it works on," pointing behind Kristoff. Kristoff turned and caught Jade and Flint trying to hide behind potted plants. Emphasis on trying. "Oh, that's my older brother and sister. Thank God, they're not spies." Anna let loose another laugh as well as cute, little snort. As she tried to cover it up, Kristoff spoke again, "And yes, I am adopted." Anna gave a confused look, Is he reading my mind?

"People ask me that a lot," Kristoff clarified and took a small photo from his wallet. It was him, Jade, Flint and their other four siblings sitting the front porch when they were kids. He stood out like a sore thumb since he looked like he had bathed in a blizzard. "You've already got a glimpse of Jade and Flint," he said pointing to their pics. "The big guy in the corner is Rock. His's the oldest," then pointed to two girls tugging at Kristoff and Flint's hair like puppet strings. "That's Crystal and Gem, they're twins." Lastly, his finger landed near a small baby boy bundled in Jade's arms. "And this little guy is Cole."

Anna grinned, "That must be nice. Being in such a big family I mean. For the longest time, the only family I ever had was my older sister, Elsa," her expression saddened at the last words. Kristoff recognized something was wrong and wanted to help but he also realized that it was personal.

As he was about to change the subject, the bell rang signaling the end of the date. As Kristoff was getting up Anna blurted, "Please don't leave!" She covered her mouth, embarrassed by how desperate she sounded. "I mean, this is the best time I had at this thing. The others were horrible."

Kristoff smiled, "Couldn't agree more," and both let out a laugh. Flint was right, Kristoff did need this. He hadn't felt this happy or confident since Elizabeth left. "You know I have some extra time," he said, "Maybe we continue our conversation outside." Anna nodded and rose up from her seat. The two of them left the room with Jade and Flint smiling.

Kristoff and Anna were taking a stroll in the park, not too far from the Community Center. They talked about the little things; work, interests, places to see in town, etc. Anna even asked about his new hair while she ruffled it up. "Just experimenting, he told her. They both laughed. For the first time in what felt like forever, Kristoff couldn't keep himself from smiling. Feels good to let someone in again.

Kristoff felt strange, like there was an entire bag of Pop Rocks snapping in his stomach. He hadn't spent this much time with another person since Elizabeth. But it also felt nice. He didn't want to admit it, but he felt lonely since the breakup. Elizabeth had left a hole in his heart the day she left and as much as he loved his family and Sven it still felt like something was missing.

Something interrupted his thoughts. Anna had placed her hand on Kristoff's shoulder, "Look," she pointed to a small group of goslings trying to cross the sidewalk to get to the pond. However, they weren't able to get past the other people rushing back and forth on the sidewalk.

Anna rushed towards the baby birds and cupped her hands in front of them, "Come on, cuties," she cooed. Without hesitation, the goslings hopped onto her hands and let out a few small honks. Anna smiled and so did Kristoff. Anna couldn't look any cuter holding those baby geese.

She slowly walked to the pond and lowered the goslings into the water. They nuzzled against Anna's delicate hands before swimming off. Anna and Kristoff gazed at the pond with sunlight glistening on the water and the reeds gently swaying in the gentle breeze, then Kristoff asked, "Why were you there?" His face instantly turned red as Anna's eyes widened. "I mean at the speed dating thing," he stated in his defense, "I was only there because my sister and brother tricked me."

His blushing had only gotten worse. Kristoff was ashamed that he let those words slip out but he was genuinely curious. Sure, Anna was an awkward person but she was also kind and sweet and outgoing. Why would she take a risk meeting up with any potential weirdo at that service?

"It's okay," Anna replied. "I'm just trying to get back on my feet, that's all." She lowered her head. Elsa had always told her that sometimes she would rush into things. That was her main weakness and she was hurt by it before. However, even though they hadn't known each other very long, Anna felt like she could trust Kristoff with something like this. He was grumpy and stubborn but deep inside she saw that he really did cared about the city.

"You see a while ago, I was engaged," she said, twisting her hair around her fingers. "At first, he was really sweet and attentive but after a while, he just cut off contact from me," tears began to fill her eyes. "I guess we were moving too fast for him."

Kristoff's heart sank. He knew what she was feeling. To believe that you've found someone you'll love forever and then have your heart ripped out. To feel lost and alone. That you are unloved.

He pulled Anna in for a hug, he wrapped his arm around her back and softly stroked her hair. She took the gesture and wrapped her arms around him too. Anna's eyes were still full of tears but her lips curved up into a smile. "Thank you," she whispered.

The moment was interrupted by a loud ringing. Anna pulled back, startled. "Calm down," Kristoff said, "It's just the alarm on my phone." He gave Anna another quick hug, "I gotta go. I hope to see you again." Anna giggled, "From what I've seen that won't be a problem."

As he parked near the nest of neon lights and blaring music that was The Palace, a lump formed in Kristoff's throat. This was probably the most important assignment he ever got. The Westergaards were violent, irrational and downright sociopaths. An Arendelle with even one less Westergaard was a better Arendelle. One wrong move and he could kiss his job goodbye. Both of them.

He got out of his truck and took a deep breath. Instead of his usual attire, Kristoff wore ragged jeans, a black tank and a puffy vest. The new clothes and his mostly black hair, he wouldn't be easily recognized if anyone here met him as an officer.

As he got close enough to the club, a soda can flew past his head. Kristoff spotted a man laughing maniacally, his entire body lacked any sort of color and hair sticking out in every direction like he had been electrocuted. "You're late, Bouncer Boy!" he called. He turned back into the club laughing. I already hate the guy, Kristoff thought when he reached the door.

"Try to ignore him," he heard someone say. A man only a little older than Kristoff came out the door. His hair was bright red and perfectly trimmed and all his clothes were white. He was an average sized person but next to Kristoff he looked like a toothpick. "Runo's always like that," the man said. "Normally, ignoring his idiocy doesn't work but I think it's physically an even playing field."

Kristoff raised an eyebrow, "Who are you exactly?" He quickly answered, "Hans. My father just "transferred" me here this morning." By his tone, Hans didn't seem too thrilled with his new line of work. "You're our new bouncer?" he asked. Kristoff nodded, "Jasper," using his undercover name.

The sound of breaking glass echoed from inside. "The hell?" Kristoff entered the club, ducking as liquor bottles flew past his head and crashed into the floor. Two grown men were wrestling in the center of the room, Runo and a red-headed man about the same size. Men in the crowd were chanting and making bets while most of the women were backing away or trying to leave the room. Kristoff placed himself between the two men, resulting in members of the crowd booing and throwing glasses at him.

It didn't take long for the fight to cease but the men gave each other and an expression that said that this wasn't over. "Quite sorry about that," Hans said, helping up a young woman that got too close to the crowd. He handed her a roll of bills from his pocket and told her to go home for the night. "But unfortunately, your job is mainly to keep my brothers from completely destroying the place," he scanned the room, now littered with broken glass and overturned furniture. "It's a real mystery how we haven't all been arrested."

A shoe flew past them and a man at the bar yelled, "Bartender, get me a refill here!" Hans groaned, rolled up his sleeves and went towards the bar. "Coming up, sir."

Kristoff went back to the door and heard something from the alley next door. His instincts as an officer combining with curiosity, Kristoff slowly crept to the edge of the building and was truly surprised by what he was seeing.

Full grown men carrying bats, chains and knives were getting the shit kicked out of them by a woman in a frilly, red tutu and pigtail braids.

When all the thugs were on the ground moaning in pain from broken bones or internal bleeding, the woman opened the doors to their truck. Inside was a horde of young men and women. They slowly climbed out of the truck and with their liberator's instructions, they rushed out of the area as fast as possible.

Kristoff took out his phone and began to snap photos. They didn't show any Westergaard big shots so they were solid enough. But they were a start.

It wasn't until after taking six or seven pictures that Kristoff noticed that the woman was gone. He turned around and we shocked to see her standing in front of him.

This was the first time he saw her in person. Her mask was terrifying with anger filled eyes adding to it. Her braided hair, frilly skirt and cold shoulder top would have convinced Kristoff she was an actual doll brought to life if her freckled skin wasn't so realistic.

She grabbed Kristoff's collar and pulled his face toward her's. "Give me the phone," she said holding her other hand out. Kristoff put his phone back in his pocket, "Not gonna happen, lady." The woman let go of Kristoff's shirt and took a deep breath, "Remember, I gave you the easy way," and punched him in the face. The hit left him disoriented and he almost didn't see her next punch. Kristoff quickly caught her fist as it was inches from his face. The woman then gave him a hard punch in the stomach and flipped over him after he released her hand. The woman lifted her leg up and slammed it over Kristoff but he was quickly blocked it with his arms.

A shot echoed through the street. Kristoff lowered his arms and saw the women wincing, applying pressure to her outer thigh. Another shot was made, hitting her in the arm. She ran out of the alley with small drops of blood creating a trail on the sidewalk.

Kristoff pulled himself up and followed the trail into the street corner. But when he got there, he couldn't see anybody on the street. He nearly turned back to the club but the sound of garbage cans crashing against the pavement brought back his attention. Something else caught Kristoff's eye; a flash bright red hair. And when he got close enough, his heart almost stopped as he saw Anna lying motionless on the ground with a puddle of blood beneath her.


	3. Chapter Three

"Anna!" Kristoff screamed and rushed over to her, fear taking over. He quickly examined her wounds; she was scathed in the leg and waist but the heaviest bleeding was from her left shoulder. Kristoff needed to act fast, he took off his tank and ripped it to shreds. After using the scraps as bandages and slowing Anna's bleeding, he scooped her up and quickly carried her back to the club.

Unsurprisingly, when he got back to The Palace, almost all of the cars were leaving the lot. "Jasper!" Kristoff heard someone call. He spotted Hans running towards him, his expression half-scared to death. "What's going on?! We heard gunshots and had to-" his words ended when he noticed Anna cradled in the large man's arms, unconscious and losing blood.

Hans began to breathe fast and heavily. "Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!" With the only other conscious person stuck in a panic mood, Kristoff needed to remain calm. "Someone was hit," he said, even though Hans already knew that. "We need to get her to a hospital."

Hans panic began to increase. "No, no, no. No hospital. Get her a doctor but no hospital." Kristoff didn't like what he heard. It wasn't just because a victim so close to a Westergaard operation would mean a police investigation. He was adamant that this victim was sent to a hospital.

But Kristoff was undercover. He couldn't ask why without Hans getting suspicious and Anna's life was on the line. "I know a doctor," he said. "A good one. I'll take her someplace safe and have him come over." Hans let out a sigh of relief and ordered, "Now go and make sure no one sees you." That wouldn't be too hard since there was almost no one else nearby.

Kristoff secured Anna in the backseat of his truck, get into the front seat and drove off. After getting far enough away, he made a call and put it on speaker. A yawn came through the speaker. "Kristoff," said a low, deep voice. "It's a quarter to midnight."

"I know and I'm sorry but Grandpa, I need your help. A woman was shot. She needs a blood transfusion and I can't take her to a hospital."

"Alright," the man groaned. "Where do you need me?"

"Snowy Cloak Towers. Room 523."

"I'll be there soon."

It didn't take long for Kristoff to reach Snowy Cloak. He carried Anna out of his truck, she was still breathing and the bleeding had slowed. However, by the size of the puddle he found her in and how much blood his torn up shirt had absorbed, Kristoff guessed she had already lost a pint and a half of blood.

When they entered the lobby, no one not even the doorman was there. Thank god, Kristoff thought to himself. Fewer witnesses meant fewer questions. He carried Anna to the elevator, which was working this time. As the door closed, Kristoff looked down at Anna. Her face lost most of its color and was shivering slightly. It was kinda scary to see Anna, a woman who could handle her own against a crook less than two days ago, motionless in his arms.

Kristoff's thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the elevator bell as the two reached their floor. A familiar face was seen by Kristoff's door as he stepped into the hall.

The person was a rather short man with silver hair and a long, wiry beard. He wore blue scrubs and a white coat while carrying a heavy, black bag. "Grandpa!" Kristoff exclaimed. "Bring her inside," the man instructed as he opened the door.

Kristoff followed his grandfather inside and gently placed Anna on his couch. A large dog came up to her and began to sniff as if inspecting the strange woman in his home. "Relax, buddy," Kristoff said, scratching his dog behind the ears. "She's friendly and won't be here too long."

"Is this the woman from earlier today?" his grandfather asked while checking Anna's pulse. Kristoff groaned and smacked his forehead, "Jade and Flint told you?" His grandfather nodded, "Just your parents and I. Real free-spirits those two," then turned his attention back to Anna. "Doesn't look too bad but she still lost more than what's healthy." The doctor removed Anna's bandages and inspected her wounds and, luckily, they had stopped bleeding. "Knew old, blind women who could shoot better," he mumbled, sifting through his bag. He pulled out a plastic bag and a long line with a needle at the end, then turned to his grandson. "Have anything to eat around here?"

Kristoff went to the fridge and took out some leftover chicken from a couple days ago. "Good, now lay down and eat up," the doctor ordered. Kristoff did as he was told; he ate from the bucket and leaned in his recliner. He barely flinched when a needle pierced the skin of his forearm. "A half a pint should do," his grandfather stated as blood flowed into the bag. Kristoff's eyelids began to feel heavy and when the doctor was done with him, he fell fast asleep.

Sven woke him up a few hours later, licking his face. It took a minute for his vision to properly adjust. When he saw Anna awake and happily giggling as she played with Sven, a sense of relief washed over him.

"What's his breed?" Anna asked, bringing Kristoff back to reality. "German Sheperd, Retriever, Husky... You know, an actual mutt," he responded casually. "You got any pets?"

"Just a stray kitten I took in a few days ago," she answered now able to sit up. "I could never any sort of pet when I was a kid because Elsa was sick all the time," her voice dropped as she mentioned her sister. Kristoff didn't know what to do. He never knew the pain of losing a sibling. But seeing Anna like that made his heart sank and he wanted to help her. Against his better judgment, he asked, "What happened to your sister?"

Anna was surprised, not by what he said but that actually had the courage to say it. Most people would just ignore it or assume that Elsa was dead. If that was supposed to help her, it didn't work.

"I don't know," she answered, looking down like the answer was shameful. "She just disappeared one day. The police could never find her," and tears started to drop from her eyes.

"Was that when it was broken off?" Kristoff asked, leaving Anna confused. "Your engagement, I mean." Anna nodded while she avoided making eye contact with him. "I can understand you on that," he said. "I once dated a woman, Elizabeth, for a few years. Last month I felt sure enough that I planned to propose to her. But before I could, I was called in to help stop a bank robbery. Hostage scenario," he voice dropped as he continued. "No one died but me and a few others ended up in the hospital. It's there that she tells me that she can't handle the stress my job brings and left me in that room while I tried not to cry," he started to clench his fists but his voice remained with a tone of sadness, not anger. "I got out the next day and see her strolling around with another man. She got over it just like that, like I never existed in the first place."

Anna then wrapped her arms around Kristoff's neck and began to cry on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry," she said with her voice raspy from the crying. Kristoff slowly stroked her back

in an attempt to calm her. He wasn't sure if it was working, but he wanted Anna to know he was there for her and could understand at least some of her pain. Anna hugged him a little tighter and he guessed she wanted the same for him.

After a few minutes, the two separated. Anna tried to pull herself but still lacked the strength to stay standing without Kristoff to support her. He lead Anna out into the hall, "You gonna be okay?" he asked. Anna nodded, "I'll be fine in a few more hours." Before she could enter her apartment, Kristoff gently took her hand and wrote a series of numbers on her palm with a pen from his back pocket. "Just in case you need me again." Anna giggled, took Kristoff's pen and teasingly returned the favor.

Kristoff smiled seeing Anna happy again, but something was itching in the back of his mind. He couldn't help but ask her, "What were you doing out in at night?" Anna's face went blank. "I don't know. The last thing I remember is getting ready for bed and then everything went black."


	4. Chapter Four

After the shooting, the Palace had been almost completely cleared out. So, there were very few people left around to hear Hans' father scream and curse at his latest "employees".

"IDIOTS! IDIOTS! FUCKING IDIOTS! YOU COULDN'T SHOT A DEAD RAT!" His harsh voice echoed through the building.

His brother's ignored the noise and focused either on wrestling one another or harassing the workers who didn't a place to live. Hans shuttered at the thought but continued his work while he listened to his father's ranting.

"Why did I waste my time buying your services from Weselton!" He punched the wall, leaving a massive dent in the wall a little too close to Hans' head. "It's not our fault," one of the mercenaries said. "Someone flashed a light and blinded us."

Hans' father erupted, "I don't give a damn!" His yelling filled the room and caused Hans to almost drop a glass. Their father called Runo in, something that could only mean the worst. Among his twelve brothers, Runo was one of, perhaps the most psychotic. He received far too many scars and bruises to prove it.

Hans turned his attention away from his father's office since the noise had died down to grumbling and the clinking of a glass. His focus was placed across the room, where Caleb was unsettlingly close to the club's newest singer, a young woman with white hair. The smile on Caleb's face was twisted and sickening while the woman face was filled with fear.

Unfortunately, Hans didn't have the same muscle mass as Jasper or any of his brothers so confronting Caleb would only end in disaster. So Hans looked down at his watch waiting for the perfect moment and smiled when he heard an engine starting. "Caleb! Your car's being towed!"

Caleb left the building as Hans predicted since the former cared more about his car than his own wife and children. Hans placed his rag on the counter and slowly approached the woman who was still shaking. "Are you okay, ma'am?" He asked in a quiet voice. The woman nodded violently. She stood straight and tried to look brave but the mascara that ran down her cheeks showed otherwise.

Hans dug into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys and write an address on a napkin. He handed them both and some cab fare to the woman, "Go to this place and stay there as long as you need." She thanked him and went outside to get a cab.

He smiled slightly and returned to his work. His father would never allow him to leave before The Palace was in the best shape possible. Hans would have been flattered that his father trusted him enough to do so much for the club if that were the case. He knew all too well that his father thought very lowly of him for being the youngest. As far as the family was considered, cleaning up after and serving pigs and keeping them from getting too rough with the "workers" was the best Hans was capable of.

A glass shattered against the back of his head. Hans could feel blood slowly flowing down to his neck. He turned to his brother Rudi, waddling towards him laughing and hiccuping. "Having fun with the ladies tonight, are we? he said with a hard laugh before passing out.

Hans rolled his eyes as he helped his brother into a chair. Great, he thought sarcastically. Another reason to stay.

Hans hated everything about his life. His father never gave him an ounce of respect, his brothers did nothing but beat the crap out of him and his mother died because of their so-called "business". If Hans had the stomach, he would have gone into witness protection like Lars did so many years ago. Without their father to govern their every move, Lars could be whoever, do whatever and marry whoever he wanted.

Their father controlled everything the brothers did, not out of concern but for the family's personal gain. His brothers accepted their father's ways early on in their lives but not Hans. He hated the fact that everything he had was gotten from the misfortune of others. Even his relationship with Anna was a sham.

Cornelius Delle, Anna's ancestor, was the one who founded Arendelle and according to legend, stashed his riches somewhere in the city. Hans' family wanted that money desperately and hired someone to observe Anna's habits so that Hans could meet Anna "by chance". In the few months had dated, Hans grew to like Anna. She was free to do and say whatever she wanted although he was jealous that Anna's received all the love from her parents and sister that he yearned for all his life.

So he felt bad that he had to search Anna's place for anything possibly related to Cornelius Delle on his father's orders. Or keep her distracted while his brothers or mercenaries looked through her family records. After a couple months, they gave up after finding nothing and had to cut ties with Anna. She would still leave a message on his answering machine with her crying about her sister and something else he couldn't make out.

A series of gunshots cut Hans from his thoughts. Runo walked out of their father's office covered in blood and with a gun in his hand. Hans stood silently as Runo went into the supply closet and only moved when he heard his father's raspy voice, "Hans! Come in here in five minutes to clean this place up! I want it spotless by morning!"


	5. Chapter Five

After last night, Kristoff could barely keep his eyes open. He couldn't risk driving in his sleep-deprived state so he took a cab and nodded off before work. When he entered the station, he went into the break room to brew himself a cup of tea. Can't wait till this job is over, he thought. Then, I'll finally get some proper sleep.

Katrina was inside, taking a sip of her own drink when she saw Kristoff's groggy face and the bags under his eyes. "Good God," she exclaimed. "You look like you just went through hell."

Kristoff yawned as he placed the kettle on the stove to boil. He held out his phone to display the pictures from last night and said, "Something like that." Katrina got a good, hard look at each photo, showing the living doll releasing people from the Westergaards' van. "So the doll lady really does exist," she said, genuinely surprised. "At first, I thought those kids were either messing with us or just plain high."

He shook his head, "Have to disagree with you," he said as he pulled back his sleeve to reveal the various bruises that covered his arm. "She almost beat the shit out of me," but Katrina's eyes were someplace else.

"Well, your night didn't seem so bad," she said taking a hold of Kristoff's hand that had Anna's phone number scribbled on it. Kristoff pulled his hand back. "It's not like that," he said while Katrina made an unconvinced smile. "She's just a friend. I only gave her my number in case she needed my help." Katrina's face went from disbelief to complete horror. "What the hell happened?!" She exclaimed at an ear-piercing volume, but luckily no one else was in the room.

Kristoff told Katrina everything about last night, "I tried to tail this living doll lady but I lost her in the corner. Then I saw Anna bleeding on the ground."

"That's awful," Katrina said, cutting off his story. "But what was she doing out in the streets at night?"

Kristoff shrugged, "Even she doesn't know. I've been thinking about having her talk to Audrey or Winters. To make sure it just sleepwalking." As he finished, Katrina's cellphone went off, was on for about three minutes and answered with an "On my way."

Katrina grabbed her jacket and explained that fishermen had found two John Does under the bridge and that she had been called in to investigate. Kristoff wished her good luck in her case. "Well, good luck with your girlfriend," she teased.

"She's not my girlfriend," he yelled back. "Who's not your girlfriend?" someone behind him asked. Kristoff turned to see Audrey munching on an apple and carrying a massive stack of papers and folders in her arm. He shook his head and told her it was nothing. "What'cha got there?" He questioned, eager to change the subject.

Audrey almost squealed. "Well, I been digging into this living doll character and it turns out this isn't her first appearance," and she dumped her papers on the counter in front of them.

They were both alarming and fascinating at the same time. The photos and pictures were all from different eras but everyone showed a young woman; small, skinny but still feminine wearing a terrifying mask that had the eerie resemblance of a doll. Kristoff picked up a black and white picture and scrunched his face up in confusion. "Are you saying these are all the same person?" He asked Audrey.

She let out a hard, good-natured laugh. "Of course not," she explained as she began to calm down. "But these women are all connected somehow." Audrey told Kristoff that according to the town records, these sitings happened in Arendelle and only Arendelle. "All this could be centered around the town's mythology."

An idea popped into Kristoff's mind. He grabbed a freshly printed newspaper from the table, "You mean like this?" He asked. Audrey took the paper and read the main headline, Arendelle Natural History Museum's new wing: The Hidden Secrets our city. Audrey thought for a bit, tapping her chin. "It could be," she finally said as she began to leave the room.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kristoff asked her. Audrey gave him a puzzled look, "The museum?" She thought that was obvious. "Well I better come with you," he said before he finished his tea. "The last time a cop was there, it was getting robbed."

By the time they arrived at the museum, it was already swarming with people. Kristoff groaned and hit his head on the steering wheel. He heard tapping on his window and saw Audrey gesturing him to follow her inside. Groaning again, he got out of the car. "Let's get this over with."

When they entered the new wing, Audrey dashed from one display to the next as she took notes and pictures of everything in the room. Pottery, clothing, weapons, statues, everything. Kristoff was way behind her as nothing in the room peaked his interest.

That was until he saw a series of figurines in a glass display. They were made of ordinary wood and stone and small enough to fit into a person's hand. Their bodies were wide and the heads were round and large. None of them were painted. If it weren't for the faces, one would think that they were actual toys.

All the faces looked different with small, elaborate designs along with the expressions. One had a smiling face with the eyes closed shut like it was sleeping. Another looked as if it was carrying stalks with long, deep lines across its face resembling a field. But his eyes didn't waver from one particular doll. One with a familiar blank expression and big, angry eyes.

"I didn't figure you liked dolls," someone giggled. Anna came into Kristoff's view, in the white tank top and khaki shorts she wore when they fitst met. He immediately blushed. "Oh, it's not that," he said as he nervously ran his fingers through his hair. He pointed at the case, "With what's been going on in the news lately, that one just-,"

"Sparked an interest?" she asked. Kristoff smiled and nodded his head. Anna smiled back, showing her beautiful, white teeth, "You should. These little cuties played an important role in Living Rock's society."

She started to explain each doll represented a different spirit that the people of Living Rock would turn to. People would place them in their homes to bring good fortune. One would bring a peaceful night and another promised a good harvest. Back in school, it would have taken a miracle for Kristoff to remember, much less pay attention to, anything he heard in a lecture. But somehow Kristoff was hooked to Anna's every word.

"What about that one?" Kristoff asked pointing to the figurine that caught his attention earlier. It took a few moments for Anna to answer. "That's Marieone. The spirit of justice and vengeance." She shuddered, "That one always creeped me out."

As she finished, a series of deafening sirens filled the room. The screams and yowls of pain echoed throughout the exhibit but Kristoff and Anna recognized one voice among all the chaos. "Get out now," Oaken ordered. "This isn't a drill." Everyone ran out of the building and across the street with their their ears.

It didn't take long for the fire department to arrive. However, the firefighters quickly discovered that there was nothing wrong in the museum. The only reason the sirens went off was that something triggered the fire alarm. They immediately sped off to their next call, hopefully an actual emergency, as the rest of the museum patrons left for their homes as they had enough excitement for the day. Only Kristoff, Audrey and Anna remained behind.

Audrey bite her lip and fidgeted with a small curl of hair. Kristoff instantly recognized that face, the one she made while deep in thought. "Go talk to Oaken. Get some answers," Kristoff instructed. "I'll stay with Anna and ask if she'd seen anything." Audrey tried to hold back a giggle, "Sure thing," she saluted then winked, the latter being ignored by Kristoff.

He approached Anna very carefully as she was still in shock from the event. Her heavy breathing began to slow when Kristoff gently placed his hand on her back and made small, calming motions. "You alright?" He asked. Anna smiled and nodded, "Just had a little anxiety attack. I get those when I hear loud noises," she explained while her body stopped shivering. "Any idea what could have happened?" Kristoff asked. Anna was the entire reason this exhibit was even here, that meant she spend most of her time at the museum. She would have noticed something off.

But she shook her head. "No. The only fire alarms are in the main hall, near Oaken's office and in the viking exhibit. There to far from where we were for someone to leave the room without being seen." She walked toward her car, a small, white convertible that Kristoff was sure he would have to crouch down in order to fit with his knees jabbing into his chest. "Are you okay going home?" Kristoff asked as Anna searched her pockets. "I don't a repeat of the Alley Incident."

She wrapped her small arms around his waist and pressed her face against his chest. When Anna released her arms, Kristoff hoped she didn't notice the redness spread across his face. "I'll be fine but it's nice to know you care," she assured as she entered her car. They waved goodbye before she left, both hoping to see eachother back home.

Audrey came up to Kristoff and startled him. She was so quiet that Kristoff was starting to consider getting her to wear a bell. "Sooo cute!" Audrey squealed with her fists pressed against her face. Kristoff groaned and lowered his head in frustration. Now he had another one on the list.

"Did you get anything?" He asked in order to avoid starting the topic all together. Audrey shrugged, "I followed Oaken into his office and it was completely trashed, Dr. Delle's as well." So, the alarm was just a diversion to pull a robbery. "But Oaken can't seem to find anything missing in either room." Kristoff made a puzzled expression. Why would someone bother to purposely set off an alarm, ransack two offices and leave with nothing?

Kristoff's phone rang loudly, taking attention away from their discussion. He put the call on speaker, "What's up, Katrina?"

"For one, we won't have to worry about the Westons anymore,"

"Why's that?"

"They're my John Does. Each one shot in the head. A few think their maker is the living doll lady."

Kristoff and Audrey looked at one another and shook their heads. "Highly unlikely," Audrey stated. "She has only put people in the hospital. The Westons are in the same skill range as her other victims. If she didn't need lethal force with them she wouldn't need it with the Westons." Kristoff nodded his head, never though he knew Katrina couldn't see. "Besides, I never saw her use a gun or any kind of weapon. Just her fists and feet." But that only raised the question. If it wasn't her then who was it?

Hans stood patiently near his father's office, doing all he could to look like he wasn't eavesdropping. Although, that really didn't matter since the walls of their home were paper thin and only barely muffled his father's yelling.

"Runo, you idiot!" Hans started to cover his ears. "I told you to dispose of the bodies and you dump them in the river! Do you not know what a current is? It won't be long before the APD starts searching this place!" Hans smiled slightly. It served him right to entrust such a vital thing to Runo. His brain was as vast as the depths of his nonexistent heart.

Caleb and Rudi came in the moment Hans could hear glass shattering against the walls. Neither of them was carrying anything so their "trip" to the museum must have been a complete bust. His brothers walked past him into their father's office, not saying a word to their youngest brother.

It didn't take long for all three of them to get thrown out off the room with cuts and bruises all over their faces. Hans was about to leave when he heard his father's voice, "Hans! Get in here!" His brothers chuckled, expecting Hans to receive an even worse beating than they did. Hans expected that as well.

Despite that, he did what he was told. Hans entered his father's office, sat down and didn't say a word. He looked up at his father, quite easily the biggest man he would ever see. He scowled as he stroked his thick, wiry beard and chewed on a cigar. It was a rather humid day so he could feel the sweat dripping down the back of his neck. His heart almost stopped when he finally heard his father speak. "Do you remember that little girlfriend of yours, Anya?" he kept his voice in monotone, making Hans wonder if his father felt any except rage.

"Anna," he corrected as he nodded. Hans kept his face blank but he could feel his heartbeat racing. Had someone seen Anna near the club that night and told? He told Jasper not to take her to a hospital. If anyone knew she was shot so close to the Palace, his family would have to permanently silence her themselves. His stomach churned at the thought. Hans had already caused her only-god-knew-how-much pain.

His father let out a single, humorless laugh and put his cigar out on the table. "Yes, well ever since she came back to town we've had a few problems."

Hans was confused. "You think Anna is involved with this doll-cosplaying Punisher wannabe?" He had seen Anna handle herself before but her becoming a vigilante was a little too far-fetched. She was a sweet and gentle person, partically a little girl trapped in a women's body.

"How else could it be explained?" his father said. "This freak is awfully similar to the exhibit she's working on. Isn't that a little coincidental." He took out a bottle of whiskey and poured himself a drink. "If it's not her, she could have hired someone to do it for her," he explained before taking a gulp of his drink.

Hans only became more confused. "Why would she do that? I haven't seen her in an entire year and she's never met you or my brothers."

His father finished his drink. As he was refilling his glass, he handed his son a sheet of paper. It was a missing person flyer. With a photo of a vaguely familiar woman.

"Elsa Delle had to be taken care of after our little search failed. The good doctor may have connected us to her sister's disappearance," his father said as he started his second glass.

He didn't show it but Hans' chest started to get heavy. In this line of work taking care of someone was either bribing them or snuffing their lights out. And his family didn't hand out bribes. He wasn't the one to pull the trigger but the burden still weighed down on his shoulders. His family had cost Anna the last remaining person who truly loved her. Until Anna, Lars had been the only person to ever show him kindness but he greatly doubted that anyone in his family was capable of love. Anna had the one thing he wanted more than anything in the world and they, all of them, took it away from her.

The bottle was now over a quarter empty. Han's father finished his last drink and slammed the glass against his desk, completely shattering it. "I want you to lead her off our trail." He said to his son, "I don't care how, just make it happen." Hans nodded although his father had now turned his chair away from him. "And tell Rudi he's banned from the Palace until he can control himself and pay his tab."

It had taken fifty minutes but Hans was glad to finally be back in his apartment and away from his family. It was one of the only businesses that his father didn't have a hold on so for a short while he could pretend like he was a regular person and not the son of a crime boss. He laid back on his bed, the sheets freshly washed and pressed, and was ready to fall asleep. Before he could completely close his eyes and drift on to dreamland, something on the floor caught his attention. It was the missing person flyer his father had given him.

Hans picked it up and examined it again. He could swear that he had seen this woman's face before.

Suddenly, it hit him. The hair was now shorter and unkempt than the pictures long, perfect braid but it was the same shade of fresh, snowy white. Her eyes were the exact same shape and shade of blue only now they never seen without loads of running mascara. A year ago, her lips were free of lipstick of any kind and barely moved into a smile, now they were slathered in red and only trembled in fear for her life.

The Palace's new singer was none other than Elsa Delle.


	6. Chapter Six

The last few days had been quiet. Not much happened after the Westons were found washed up under the bridge. Even his time as Jasper was uneventful; no more shootings, no riots, no forms of assault of any kind. That meant that the Westergaards were either laying low or planning something big.

The only difference at the club was that Hans had become incredibly squirrelly since the last time they met. Almost jumping out of his skin whenever he was called and dropping the glass in his hand to shatter against the floor. He would simply not talk to anybody, not even to make a joke.

The only real excitement in his life was his time with Anna. They would meet at the tea shop every morning (turned out Anna didn't care much for coffee either). The two shared stories from their younger days, like when Kristoff fell into a frozen lake and was called Icicle for a year or when Anna rode her bike down her stairs and almost put herself in the hospital. The day before Anna had somehow convinced him to go ice skating with her. It turned out neither of them were very skilled when it came to skating. Despite the constant falling down on their butts and numbness in their fingers, it was the most fun they both had in a while.

Those feelings of enjoyment slowly faded as he neared the psychiatric clinic. Kristoff always dreaded this day of the week. After being put in the hospital and Elizabeth leaving him, he had developed a serious case of depression. He almost got himself run over by an SUV because he was too busy sulking to pay attention to the traffic lights. Soon after he was out of the hospital, Gerda required that he see the city's best psychologist, Dr. Olaf Winters, ever week until Winters said otherwise.

It wasn't that he didn't like Winters, Kristoff just thought he was a little too chipper for his job. He couldn't understand how Olaf could listen to people complain all day and still smile. If that was his job, Kristoff would go completely mad.

When Kristoff went inside the clinic, he didn't have to wait long to get called in. He went the hallway to the last door on the left. Before he opened the door, Kristoff braced himself for the inevitable strain to his eyes. Olaf changed the color scheme of his office on a weekly basis, adding a single color to his dull all white office. Last week it was chartreuse and the week before was crimson. As he opened the door, Kristoff was ready to gouge his eyes out after seeing the yellow and white room.

"Oh, yes. This was a terrible idea." He slowly opened his eyes to see Dr. Winters in front of him, tossing aside yellow throw pillows. Winters was a rather short, pudgy man, just barely going over Kristoff's waist. He always wore a button down vest and a black bow tie. All that and his elongated nose made him look like a cute, baby penguin.

"It's very good to see you again," Olaf began. He waddled over to giant, comfy chair and politely turned to Kristoff, "Please, take a seat."

Kristoff did just that. He gently placed himself on the couch across from Winters and laid his head on a soft pillow. His fingers were already intwined, already to leave.

Things started out like normal. Olaf asked about the meds he prescribed for Kristoff (he had taken them of course), his new assignment, and the new people he befriended (only Hans and Anna really).

Olaf tapped his pen on his bottom lip, "Tell me more about this Anna person you keep mentioning," he said. Kristoff laid his head back on the pillow and blushed. He didn't realize that he was talking so much about Anna. "Well, at first I didn't think much of her," he began. "But then she started to grow on me. Know what I mean?"

He began to explain Anna and their encounters; how they first met at the museum, about being neighbors, running into each other at speed dating and the night at the Palace. Then he started to describe her personally. That she was impulsive but brave, how she had struggled with the same situation he had and about her sweetness and childlike charm. "She's simply adorable," he smiled. "Beautiful, actually."

Olaf put his pen down, "Kristoff, are you in love with this woman?" Kristoff was shocked by what he heard. True, Anna meant a great deal to him but this was too soon. She was still recovering from being abandoned by her jackass of an ex and he had only just gotten over things with Elizabeth. "Kristoff, I can understand why you would hesitant..."

"I didn't hesitate!" Kristoff defended. Winters nodded, "Yes, you did. This is a natural and understandable defense mechanism. You had recently gotten your heart broken." Kristoff started to sit up, "Yeah, but I'm not in love with Anna. She's just my neighbor and a close friend. Nothing more." Olaf crossed his short legs and gave a skeptical look. "Kristoff, who are you trying to convince? You are me?"

Kristoff immediately went home after his session but everything that Dr. Winters had said rattled through his brain. He attempted that he thought Anna was beautiful , but did that really mean he loved her? Was he really lying to himself as a form of protection?

At that moment, all he wanted was sleep. Kristoff made it to his apartment fairly quickly and didn't run into Anna. Which was lucky, he didn't want to her after what had gone down at the clinic. Sven came jumping up as Kristoff entered to room, but instead of scratching behind his dog's ears like he did everyday Kristoff just dragged himself to his bed and collapsed onto it. Kristoff started to snore and Sven climbed up his human's bed and curled up at Kristoff joining him in a nap.

When he opened his eyes, all he could see was the thick, white steam that engulfed the air. The room was sweltering, his sweat soaked hair clinging to his forehead and the back of his neck. He would have eagerly taken off his shirt to cool off if he was wearing one. In fact, the only "clothing" he had on was an uncomfortably small, white towel. He felt more heat rush to his face, embarrassed by his lack of modesty even though he was the only person in the room.

Or at least he thought he was till a pair of small, delicate hands wrapped themselves around his chest. They made slow, gentle strokes that tickled his skin and filled his stomach with hot, churning tensions.

Kristoff turned his head to find a shocking yet pleasant surprise. "Anna?"

She was also in a fluffy towel, though it seemed much more modest on her. Her hair was worn in a loose manner that perfectly framed her soft, angelic face. The lighting in the room was dim, but Anna's skin was still able to give off a healthy glow like she was an angel.

Anna came closer and nuzzled her head under Kristoff's chin. A smile peeked from his lips, her silky hair tickled. She started to moan as she continued to stroke Kristoff's chest, "I missed this so much," she cooed.

Kristoff wrapped his arms around her. He never told anybody but he missed this too. Kristoff wanted to cradle a ball of sunshine in his arms, to laugh with them, comfort them. Aside from his adopted family, everyone treated him like he was something to avoid. Kristoff needed someone who wouldn't call him out when he talked to Sven. To accept his job was worth the risk. He needed someone that would accept him.

His thoughts were interupted when Anna cupped his face and started to gaze into his eyes. He was, himself, captivated by her own aquamarine eyes. They were filled with joy, kindess and most of all, love.

Suddenly, the two of them lost their balance and fell against the bench. Before either of them could comprehend what was happening, Anna was directly on top of Kristoff and their lips had collided.

When Kristoff opened eyes, he was back in his apartment fallen half way of his bed with his blanket wrapped around his legs. It didn't take long for Kristoff to pull himself up. When he got back onto his bed, Kristoff buried his face in his hands and groaned.

Sven started to slobber over his face. Kristoff cracked a smile and scratched his dog behind the ears. "I got myself into some serious trouble, didn't I?" he asked Sven, who tilted his head.

Guess he couldn't deny it now. Kristoff had romantic feeling for Anna. He wouldn't have such a dream if he didn't. What would he do now? Anna lived down the hall. He saw her everyday. He was doomed as a summer snowman.


	7. Chapter Seven

Sunday night had finally arrived. And Kristoff had some uneasy feelings about it.

Every Sunday since he joined the force, his parents invited him and the rest of the family over for dinner. Kristoff knew it was their way of making sure he was not being overwhelmed by the stress of his job. Nevertheless, he went anyway.

However, this time Kristoff was so anxious about going to dinner that he was about to throw up. He and Sven loved going to his parents' house, but after Jade and Flint had told their parents and Pabbie about Anna, Kristoff knew everyone would be more persistent about helping him with his personal life. With his new realization about his feelings for Anna would complicate matters.

His family knew Kristoff was a lot of things and a liar wasn't one of them. They would always catch him in a lie, even if that lie were to himself.

Despite his better judgment, Kristoff led Sven to his truck and headed off to his parents' house in the suburbs. It didn't take long for the two of them to reach it. When Kristoff and Sven exited the truck and stepped on to the freshly mowed grass, they were both swarmed by a sea of children.

"Look, Uncle Kris!" one little girl said, "I lost my first tooth," she grinned widely, proudly displaying the gap in her adorable smile. Then a little boy tried to gain Kristoff's attention, "l got a new merit badge in boy scouts!" He proclaimed as he waved the badge in front of him. Two other children were not as subtle and simply jumped in Kristoff's arms. Kris grunted as the boy and girl wrapped their tiny hands around his neck. "You're both getting so big! Good for you!" he said after gaining a good hold of his niece and nephew.

"Alright children," Kristoff heard someone say. An older woman stood at the front porch, dusting off her flour-covered apron. She was half the size of Kris while still being at least a foot taller than most of the children. Her long, dark braid hung over her shoulder with long streaks of silver that almost shimmered in the setting sun.

The children stood still at the woman's presence. "Now, why don't you all play in the backyard with Sven til supper's done," the old woman suggested. The children answered with cheers as the man behind the house with their uncle's dog behind them.

Kristoff grinned at the old woman, who gave a warm smile back. "Thanks for the save Ma," he said as he bent down to hug her. "Not a problem, dear. Now come inside," she said dragging her giant of a son into her home.

The kitchen was pretty crowded, but that was not unexpected for a woman who had seven kids.

Kole, the youngest at fifteen, was setting up the adults' table, a large oak table surrounded by ten chairs, one for each sibling, their parents and Grand Pabbie. Crystal and Gem were shucking pea pods. Or more accurately Crystal was shucking peas while Gem was splitting her energy between helping with dinner and reading from her textbook.

"Gem, I've got more frog eggs for you," Crystal said trying to get her sister's attention. Gem simply nodded and started to shuck the peas, not paying attention to or just ignoring what her sister had just said.

"Kris, come help me over here," Kristoff turned to see Rock by the stove with a large pan of potatoes in front of him. Rock handed Kris a vegetable peeler and helped skin the potatoes while waiting for the pan to boil. Things were silent for a few moments until Rock popped a question, "So when are you bringing your new lady friend over?" Shocked by the question, Kris lost his hold on the peeler and cut his other hand.

"Damnit," Kristoff sucked his teeth while Rock handed him a box of band-aids. Jade and Flint just can't keep their mouths shut, can they?

Kris scowled as placed band-aids over his extended cut. "She's not my girlfriend. We've only known each other a few weeks." Rock gave one of his very rare smiles, "It seems like you two have become very close in that short amount of time, haven't you?"

"Maybe, but I'm not ready to bring her here and have you all tell her inappropriate stories about my childhood," Kris replied sternly. "Like how you would only pee in the woods behind our yard," Flint joked as he walked in from the backyard, likely taking a break from his two children and their cousins.

Kris growled, "Nobody needs to know that! Especially not Anna!"

"Anna Delle?" Rock asked. When Kris nodded, he tapped his fist into his palm as a look of realization spread across his face. "I thought the description Jade and Flint gave us sounded familiar," Rock went back to work as he continued. "She was one of my patients last year."

Kristoff was confused. Like their grandfather, Rock was a doctor. But not just any doctor, he was an obstetrician. And Anna didn't show any signs of having children. "It's sad really," Rock said as he dropped potatoes into the now boiling water. All his siblings knew he was going into something serious, as Rock would always try to keep himself busy when he was talking about something heavy.

"Her boyfriend left before she found out she was expecting. If that wasn't bad enough, earlier this year some thugs broke into her apartment. They didn't get away with any money but-" Rock had stopped, but he didn't need to continue. Everybody knew something more valuable was taken.

Kristoff's body filled with rage, but he had hidden it well. In such a short amount of time, Anna was abandoned by the man she thought she loved, lost her big sister and never even had the chance to meet her own baby properly. Not even the worst people deserved that kind of emotional pain.

If Kris ever found the bastards that did that to her, he would not show them mercy.

His phone began to vibrate on the counter. Kristoff picked it up and Audrey's name appeared on the screen. "Sorry, I gotta take this," Kristoff knew his mother didn't tolerate cellphone use during Sunday dinner, but Audrey didn't call him unless it was important.

"Hey, Kris! I'm so sorry to disturb your time with your family, but I found something so big it couldn't wait till morning." Kris heard a series of gongs over the phone, he recognized them as from the old grandfather clock in Audrey's office. "Oh my god! Audrey, are still at the station?!" Kristoff wasn't too surprised as Gerda forbid Audrey from taking her work home or risk it getting lost in her chaotic mess of a house, but it showed how invested Audrey had gotten herself into his case.

"I promise I'll leave soon after this. While looking into Arendelle's history, I found some stuff on Corneilius Delle." Delle. Kristoff found it strange that everywhere he went Anna was somehow involved. "And?" Kristoff urged her to continue. "Turns out a series of strange things happened when the city was first being built. There were a lot of signs someone in Corneilius' family was involved, but nothing was proven."

Audrey was cut off by the sound of a window breaking. Kristoff heard the phone hit the floor as Audrey went off to hide. He then heard something else over the line, the thumping of massive, heavy steel-toed boots. A gruff voice came through, "Crap! We got a problem, bro. Someone's still here!" The signal went out in static.

Kristoff's eyes widen. He'd know that voice anywhere. It could only be Runo. That meant the "bro" he was with could only be Rudi, those two bastards were never too far from each other. If they found Audrey, she would be as good as dead.

"Kris, what are doing?" Flint asked as his brother practically rushed out the door without a second thought. "I can't explain right now," Kris explained as he hopped into his truck. "Tell Ma and Pa I'll make it up to them." Flint groaned, "This isn't about work is it?" Kristoff didn't have time to give an answer of "yes and no" and simply pulled out of the driveway and quickly made his to the station. After all, time was a factor that wasn't on his side.


End file.
